Lauren Kendra, a former Gloucester Catholic girls basketball player and 2004 graduate who spent the past two seasons as the JV coach for the Rams and her coach Lisa Gedaka, was approved Monday as the new head girls hoops coach at Haddon Heights. She's shown here in a 2003 contest against Delsea. (File photo)

Haddon Heights Board of Education approved Lauren Kendra as its new girls hoops coach, replacing Kathy Turner who stepped down after last season. Joining the growing group of ex-Rams leading other programs — which also includes Cheryl Clark (née Kulesa) at Audubon, Chrissy McGovern (née DeMarco) at Shawnee and Chris Hill at Moorestown — is a pretty big deal for Kendra, a 2004 Catholic grad.

“I don’t know if anyone else has four former players as varsity coaches,” said Kendra, a 2004 Catholic graduate who went on to set the career assists record at King’s College (Pa.). “That’s pretty cool, it’s a testament to (Rams head coach) Lisa (Gedaka).”

Kendra’s spent the past two seasons as the Rams’ JV coach, and she believes that combined with playing for Gedaka has left her ready to strike out on her own with the Garnets.

“When Lisa first asked me to come on board at Gloucester Catholic, that was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up,” Kendra said. “I wanted to be a head coach and have my own program, and being able to work with Lisa has been incredible. She’s prepped me for that the past two years.

“Lisa is one of the best coaches, but she’s a great mentor and person. She wants to give to everybody, and she wants to share what she knows about the game. She’s very open to other people’s opinions and is very willing to work with other people to do what’s best for the team.”

Obviously Haddon Heights athletic director Joe Cramp and the administration felt Kendra was ready as well. She’s taking over a Garnets program that went 22-5 last season and has a good deal returning, but graduated two of its top players in center Tyler Raysor and guard Nadja Riggs. But Kendra got to meet her returning players Tuesday, and she feels that it’s the right place for her to be.

“Gloucester Catholic was a great experience, it’s where my roots are,” she said. “The reason I would leave was finding a program that fit my needs, where I could emulate what I learned. It was a great opportunity for me with the program and their kids, it had to be somewhere I felt we would get along well.

“I think Heights has a great reputation for athletic programs in general, but I’m from Bellmawr and I know a lot of the kids. I’ve been involved in sports there through the rec programs, I’ve seen how they work and I really feel their values fit with my goals as a coach.”

She’s especially looking forward to experiencing girls basketball in the Colonial Conference, and rivalries like Haddon Heights-Haddonfield which she said might be similar to the Gloucester-Gloucester Catholic battles of which she was a part as player and coach.

But now to be a part of the South Jersey head coaching community, and one as exclusive as ex-Rams players under Gedaka, has a special appeal to her — and the latter is a group she thinks won’t be this exclusive forever.

“I’m obviously really excited, I’m thankful Haddon Heights and Joe Cramp have the confidence in me to take over the program,” said Kendra. “I’ve been in South Jersey basketball since I was in seventh grade, it’s in my heart to help kids get better. I’m excited to have a part in helping that go further.

“I really think there will be more (former Rams) coming (as head coaches), I’ve had kids reach out to me. It could become a pretty cool legacy.”